Becker´s attempt to legalise home turned down

The General Services Committee of the Council of Majorca has rejected an appeal presented by Hans Von Rotenham on behalf of tennis ace Boris Becker, regarding his house in Artà. The Committee's decision must now be ratified at a plenary session of the Council of Majorca. This meeting will take place on July 1, and all the parties are expected to vote in favour of the proposal. Under planning regulations, the tennis ace was only allowed to build a house of 500 square metres on the land he owns in the municipality, but the project presented called for a volume 82 per cent higher. The existing house was enlarged from 314.83 to 987.67 square metres, an annex for a garage measuring 162.59 square metres was also built, plus another 225 square metre annex. In all, the project called for building of 1'720 square metres. The juridical report presented to the General Services Committee said that opening the doors to everyone by allowing the construction of houses above the maximum laid down by law could negate the general principles introduced by the law on rustic land. The team which drew up the report said that they had contacted the Artà council to see if it wanted to present allegations, but the council decided not to give its opinion. Earlier attempts by Becker to legalise the property have failed. The Council of Majorca's planning department had already turned down an appeal by Status Artà SL, the builders of the property, part of which will now have to be demolished. It is believed Becker has already presented the demolition project.